Works and Emergency Services
City Hall
23rd Floor, East Tower
100 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5H 2N2
February 1, 1999
To: Toronto Community Council
From: Andrew Koropeski, Director, Transportation Services District 1
Subject: Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue - Examination of the
feasibility of installing speed humps (Ward 23, Midtown)
Purpose:
To report on a request to consider the installation of speed humps on Albany Avenue between
Bloor Street West and Barton Avenue.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
Should Council decide to pursue the installation of speed humps on the subject section of
Albany Avenue, the estimated cost would be $6,600.00. Funds in this amount are
accommodated in the Transportation Services Division's 1999 Capital Budget request.
Recommendation:
That this report be received for information.
Comments:
At the request of Midtown Councillors John Adams and Ila Bossons, on behalf of area
residents, staff undertook an investigation on Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to
Barton Avenue, to determine if the implementation of speed humps would be an appropriate
traffic calming measure on this section or roadway.
Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue operates one-way northbound with
a pavement width of 6.7 metres and a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour. Staff recently
conducted twenty-four hour speed and volume surveys over a six day period from November
27 to December 2, 1998 inclusive.
The subject section of Albany Avenue carries an average daily volume of approximately 1,050
vehicles (volumes ranged from 973 to 1,182 vehicles). These volumes marginally satisfy the
minimum requirement of 1,000 vehicles per day necessary for further consideration to
implement speed humps.
In terms of vehicular speed, the above studies have revealed that the average daily speed on
this section of Albany Avenue was 31.6 kilometres per hour and the average operating speed
(the speed at which 85% of the traffic volume operates at or below) was 43 kilometres per
hour. Incidents of excessive speeding (vehicles travelling in excess of 55 kilometres per hour)
represented less than 2% of the average daily traffic volume. It should also be noted that the
above data is consistent, if not somewhat lower than previous data that was obtained on the
same section of Albany Avenue in April/May of 1997, following the reversal of the one-way
traffic operation on the section between Barton Avenue and Wells Street.
As requested by the Councillors and interested residents, staff prepared a plan consisting of
three speed humps with spacings that range from 70 to 90 metres, as illustrated on the
attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5274, dated October 1998. It is not anticipated that this
plan would impact on existing on-street parking spaces, garbage collection, street cleaning or
winter operations.
Implementation of this proposal, in conjunction with other speed hump installations and
current investigations on sections of Barton Avenue, Howland Avenue and Brunswick
Avenue, could result in increased response times for emergency vehicles into the local
residential community. Accordingly, copies of the above plan, if approved, will be circulated
to emergency services agencies for comment.
In the event that Council wishes to proceed with the installation of speed humps on Albany
Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue, then the following recommendations
would have to be approved:
(1) That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Albany Avenue, from Bloor
Street West to Barton Avenue for traffic calming purposes as described below, with
implementation subject to the favourable results of polling of the affected residents pursuant
to the policy related to speed hump installation as adopted by the former City of Toronto
Council:
"The construction of speed humps on ALBANY AVENUE, from Bloor Street West to
Barton Avenue, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5274, dated
October 1998";
(2) That the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per
hour on Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue, coincident with the
implementation of the traffic calming measures; and
(3) That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take whatever action is
necessary to implement the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that
might be required.
The terms of the Speed Hump Policy require that a formal poll be conducted of all adults (18
years and older) of households directly abutting the affected section of street and also
households on side streets whose only access is from the street under consideration for speed
humps, of which 60% of those responding should be in favour of the proposed
implementation.
Further, the changes to Albany Avenue as described above would constitute an alteration to
the public highway pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Act. The intent of Council to
enact a by-law to authorize any physical changes resulting in the alteration of the pavement
configuration must be advertised and subsequently be subject to a public hearing. The project
would be pre-approved in accordance with Schedule "A" of the Class Environmental
Assessment for Municipal Road Projects.
Conclusions:
In evaluating the section of Albany Avenue from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue for the
installation of speed humps, it has been determined that although such a course of action is
technically feasible, the guidelines for installation are only marginally met. In addition, as the
incidence of excessive speeding represents less than 2% (approximately 13 vehicles per day)
of the daily traffic volume, the overall impact that speed humps would have on this street
would be minor, compared to a number of other locations where excessive speeding
constitutes a much greater percentage of the total daily traffic volume.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
Colin Booth, Senior Traffic Investigator, 392-7771
Director.
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